The matter contained herein is subject to Copyright protection in Berne Convention countries, which copyright is the property of the inventor. Publication of the patent specification, or any act by any patent office, does not constitute a waiver of these rights.
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatic evaluation of skin impedance variations in order to estimate the state of health of the internal organs of a human or animal.
Existing methods of utilising skin impedance values for organ diagnostics base their results on non-ratiometric measurements of basic skin impedance and produce inconsistent and unreliable results which depend on numerous variables, including the emotional state of the patient, muscular tension, measurement time, the contact area and pressure of the measuring electrode and various physiological differences between individuals.
After many years of research the inventor now believes that the internal organs of the body of a human or animal have corresponding areas on the skin where information regarding the corresponding internal organs can be retrieved by measuring the electrical properties of said skin. The inventor further believes that said corresponding areas of the skin have other properties related to the science of reflexive pyhsiotherapy (including acupuncture), for example, the ability to heal and/or relieve pain caused by the corresponding organs.
The inventor believes yet further that these corresponding areas of the skin may be mapped, which map is applicable to various individuals.
The inventor has found that the ear auricle may be particularly accurately mapped and is most suitable for the method of the invention since in most cultures the skin of the ear is exposed and may be examined without any garments having to be removed.
In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, the term xe2x80x9cimpedancexe2x80x9d, is to be understood to include resistance.
The impedance variation can be measured in two ways:
Method 1. AC Evaluation
The difference between the AC impedance measured at a specific frequency and at a specific skin area with a calibration electrode and a reference electrode and the impedance measured at a similar frequency and in the same area with a measurement electrode and a reference electrode, is used to determine the state of health of the internal organ corresponding to the examined skin area. The calibration electrode and reference electrode contact areas are relatively larger than the measurement electrode skin contact area.
Method 2: DC Evaluation
The term xe2x80x9cbreak-through effectxe2x80x9d refers to the sudden and significant drop in skin electrical resistance witnessed after a sufficient potential difference is applied between the electrodes.
The skin between the electrodes is exposed to a DC potential of a magnitude selected to give the break-through effect. The DC resistance of the skin is measured between a measurement electrode polarised negatively with respect to a reference electrode, and the DC resistance of the same skin area is again measured but with the measurement electrode polarised positively with respect to the reference electrode. The ratio of these two values is used to determine the state of health of the internal organ corresponding with the examined skin area.
An apparatus broadly in accordance with the invention may include the following functional blocks:
A measurement and/or calibration electrode, a reference electrode, a voltage generator block, a measurement block, a control block, a user interface block, a result presentation block and, optionally, a data storage block.
The voltage generator block generates a potential difference between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode, or the calibration electrode and the reference electrode. The voltage generator block is connected to and controlled by the control block. The measurement block is connected to the measurement electrode and the reference electrode (FIG. 1).
The measurement block determines the impedance between the measurement electrode and the reference or calibration electrode. Alternatively the voltage generator block can be connected through the measurement block to the measurement electrode or the reference electrode (FIG. 2). The ultimate purpose of the measurement block is to measure a parameter (such as voltage or current) that can be used to determine the impedance or resistance between the measurement electrode and the reference electrode. The measurement block is connected to the control block.
The control block is connected to the user interface block (if present), the data storage block (if present), the result presentation block, the voltage generator block and the measurement block. The control block sets the voltage generated by the voltage generator block. The control block uses information received from the measurement block to detect the break-through effect, and the resistance asymmetry. The control block can store and retrieve information in the data storage block (if present). The control block informs the user of the results of the measurements through the result presentation block. The result presentation block may be generate a visual or audio indication to inform the user of the result i.e. the state of health of the internal organ obtained by the control block.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for diagnosing a state of health of an organ in a human or animal body, the apparatus including an electrical signal generator, a calibration electrode, and a measurement electrode for connection in use to the generator. One of the calibration and measurement electrodes is a point electrode having a small skin-contactable surface area, and the other electrode, respectively, has a significantly larger skin-contactable surface area than the point electrode. Also included is recording means configured to record a first measured value of a first parameter which is dependent on the resistance or impedance between the calibration and reference electrodes when the calibration electrode is placed in contact with a first zone of skin corresponding to the organ and the reference electrode is placed in contact with another one on the body. An AC potential difference is applied in use between the calibration and reference electrodes by the generator. Recording means is configured to record a second measured value of a second parameter which is dependent on the resistance or impedance between the measurement and reference electrodes when the calibration electrode has been replaced by the measurement electrode and the same AC potential difference is applied between the measurement and reference electrodes. Means for comparing the first and second measured values to obtain a third value is also included, which is an indicator of the state of health of the organ to which the first zone of skin corresponds.
The frequency of the AC signal is typically about 250 Hz.
The apparatus may include a display means for indicating the first zone of skin onto which the calibration and measurement electrodes should be placed in order to obtain a diagnosis for a particular organ. The display means typically indicates zones of skin which are located on a foot or an ear.
The third value may be expressed as a ratio of the first and second measured values.
The apparatus may include communication means for communicating, to an operator of the apparatus, the state of health of the diagnosed organ as being either healthy, normal, sub-acute or acute, depending on the third value.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for diagnosing a state of health of an organ in a human or animal body. The method includes the steps of placing a calibration electrode on or near a zone of skin which corresponds to the organ and placing a reference electrode in contact with another zone of skin which corresponds to the organ and placing a reference electrode in contact with another zone of skin on the same body. A first measured value of a first parameter is recorded, which is dependent on the resistance or impedance between the calibration and reference electrodes when an AC potential difference is applied between the calibration and reference electrodes. The calibration electrode is replaced with a measurement electrode. One of the calibration and measurement electrodes is a point electrode having a small skin-contactable surface area, and the other electrode, respectively, has a significantly larger skin-contactable surface area than the point electrode. A second measured value of a second parameter is recorded, which is dependent on the resistance or impedance between the measurement and reference electrodes when the same AC potential difference is applied between the measurement and reference electrodes. The first and second measured values are compared to obtain a third value which is an indicator of the state of health of the organ to which the first zone of skin corresponds.
The frequency of the alternating current while obtaining the first and second values is typically about 250 Hz.
The third value may be expressed as a ratio of the first and second values.
The measurement electrode may be placed on an outer ear, or on a sole of a foot, having the zone of skin which corresponds to the organ.
The method may include the step of using a display means to indicate the zone of skin of a foot or an ear onto which the measurement electrode should be placed in order to obtain a diagnosis for a particular organ.
After a great deal of experimental work the inventor has found that an apparatus broadly in accordance with the invention may be operated as described below to obtain reliable results.
Technique 1: AC Evaluation
The calibration electrode is placed in contact with the relevant skin area corresponding to the internal organ of a subject the sate of health of which is to be determined. The reference electrode is placed in contact with any other skin area, usually the hand of the subject. The control block uses the voltage generator block to generate an AC signal of specific frequency and magnitude between the calibration and reference electrodes. The control block determines the impedance between the electrodes via the measurement block. The control block stores the impedance value in the data storage block (referred to as xe2x80x9ccalibration impedancexe2x80x9d). The control block signals that the calibration impedance has been determined via the result presentation block. The calibration electrode is removed and the measurement electrode is placed on the skin area undergoing investigation. The control block uses the voltage generator block to generate an AC signal of similar frequency and magnitude between the calibration and reference electrodes.
The control block determines the ratio between the calibration impedance and the impedance measured with the measuring electrode and converts this ratio to an indication of the state of health of the internal organ. The control block displays the result on the result presentation block (e.g. on a disease intensity percentage scale).
Conveniently the result is displayed in percentage format, calculated according to the following equation:
% Disease=(1xe2x88x92Imeasurement/Ireference)xc3x97100;
or
% Disease=(1xe2x88x92Rreference/Rmeasurement)xc3x97100
Various percentage ranges corresponding to different states of health of the organ. Typically 0 to 40% indicates a healthy state, 40 to 60% indicates the upper limits of the healthy state, 60 to 80% indicates a sub-acute state, and 80 to 100% indicates an acute condition of the internal organ in question.
Technique 2: DC Evaluation
The reference electrode is placed in contact with any skin area. The measurement electrode is placed in contact with a specific skin spot corresponding with an internal organ the state of health of which is to be determined. The control block uses the voltage generator block to generate a DC potential difference between the electrodes. The control block determines the resistance between the electrodes via the measurement block. The control block adjusts the DC potential difference and checks the resistance until the resistance falls below a certain threshold or suddenly starts decreasing rapidly (break-through effect). The control block checks the resistance until a stable value is reached. The control block stores this resistance value in the data storage block (referred to as xe2x80x9creference resistancexe2x80x9d).
The control block inverts the polarisation of the measurement and reference electrodes with respect to each other and uses the voltage generator block to apply a DC potential across the electrodes. The control block determines the resistance between the electrodes via the measurement block (referred to as xe2x80x9cmeasurement resistancexe2x80x9d).
The control block determines the ratio between the xe2x80x9cmeasurement resistancexe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9creference resistancexe2x80x9d and calculates the intensity of disease from this ratio. The following equation is used for the calculation:
% Disease=(1xe2x88x92Imeasurement/Ireference)xc3x97100;
or
xe2x80x83% Disease=(1xe2x88x92Rreference/Rmeasurement)xc3x97100
The control block displays the result on the result presentation block (e.g. on a disease intensity percentage scale).
Conveniently the result is displayed in percentage format, with various percentage ranges corresponding to different state of health of the organ. Typically 0 to 40% indicates a healthy state, 40 to 60% indicates the upper limits of the healthy state, 60 to 80% indicates a sub-acute state, and 80 to 100% indicates an acute condition of the internal organ in question.
For best break-through effect induction the reference resistance measurement should be made with the measurement electrode polarised negatively with respect to the reference electrode, although with higher potential differences between the electrodes it is believed that the break-through effect may also be observed if the polarity is inverted.
When using the DC technique, if the internal organ is not healthy a higher resistance will be measured with the measurement electrode polarised positively with respect to the reference electrode than with the measurement electrode polarised negatively with respect to the reference electrode e.g. 300 kxcexa9 as opposed to 30 kxcexa9. Similarly, when using the AC technique, the measurement obtained using the measurement electrode will have an impedance reading which is higher than that of the measurement obtained using the calibration electrode.
It is also possible to use an AC signal when using the DC technique.
Although both the AC and DC evaluation techniques are effective, for thin skin regions of the body, such as the ear auricle, the DC evaluation technique is preferred, while for thicker skin areas of the body, such as the feet, the AC method is preferred as thicker skin areas require higher voltages for the breakthrough effect to occur, which could be painful for the subject.
The inventor believes that an apparatus such as that described above, uses new measurement technologies and ratiometric techniques and achieves consistent and repeatable diagnostic results which are independent of various physiological differences between individuals, the emotional state of a patient, muscular tension and the measurement time. The results depend on the intensity of the disease, the effect of pressure is insignificant.
Example 1:
In a first test in which a gastric ulcer was diagnosed, the following results were obtained:
Auricular projection areas (thin skinxe2x80x94DC measurement):
reference resistance=10 kxcexa9;
Stomach projection area: measurement resistance=200 kxcexa9; i.e. 95% of disease activity
Healthy organ projection areas: measurement resistance=10-25 kxcexa9i.e. 0-60% of disease activity
Pedal projection areas (thick skinxe2x80x94AC measurement):
Reference resistance=15 kxcexa9(at 250 Hz)
Stomach projection area: measurement resistance=300 kxcexa9i.e. 95% of disease activity
Healthy organ projection areas: measurement resistance=15-37.5 kxcexa9i.e. 0-60% of disease activity
Example 2:
Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection)
Auricular projection areas (thin skinxe2x80x94DC measurement):
Reference resistance=10 kxcexa9
Kidney projection area: measurement resistance=100 kxcexa9i.e. 90% of disease activity
Healthy organ projection areas: measurement resistance=10-25 kxcexa9i.e. 0-60% of disease activity
Pedal projection areas (thick skinxe2x80x94AC measurement):
Reference resistance=10 kxcexa9(at 250 Hz)
Kidney projection area: measurement resistance=100 kxcexa9i.e. 90% of disease activity
Healthy organ projection areas: measurement resistance=10-25 kxcexa9i.e. 0-60% of disease activity